Convertible concrete form for stadiums



P 4, 1954 L. A. PINNER 2,688,786

CONVERTIBLE CONCRETE FORM FOR STADIUMS Filed Feb. 7, 1951 INVENTORLeoRardA.P/ilz1zer,

BYU%V7% AGENT Patented Sept. 14, 1954 OONVERTIBLE CONCRETE FORM FORSTADIUMS Leonard Addison Pinner, Dallas, Tex., assignor of one-half toRichard A. Gump, trustee Application February 7, 1951, Serial No.209,857

'7 Claims.

This present application relates to concrete forms and more particularlyto concrete forms for the creation of viewing stands or stadiums andagain especially to forms convertible from use in erecting straight linestadiums to the use in erecting bowl-type or more correctly polygonalstadiums which extend on more than one side of the field.

The general object of the invention is a concrete form suitable for theerection of straight line stadiums and by the addition of a bridgingmember or members adapted for erecting polygonal stadiums of a variablenumber of corners and angles depending thereon.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a form or forms ofthe type described which is simple, durable, and of low production costand quickly removable.

The forms of my invention may be removed within twentyfour hours afterthe concrete has been poured. This allows a maximum reuse of the formsin a job and consequently a saving in the number of forms necessary todo a job.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent as theinvention is fully comprehended, the same consists in the construction,combination and arrangement of elements hereinafter specificallydescribed and distinctly claimed in the subjoined claims.

The description should be read in connection with the accompanyingdrawing forming part of the application and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a preferred embodiment of myinvention and of a stadium cast thereby;

Fig. 2 is a perspective of a pair of forms adapted for erecting a partof a polygonal stadium by the addition of a bridge member bridging theangular space between adjacent form ends;

Fig. 3 is a modification of the bridging member.

In the drawings in which like characters of reference designate like orsimilar parts, 5 indicates each of a plurality of shores resting withtheir lower ends on the ground and of different vertical lengths. On thetop of each shore is secured the narrow edge of a horizontally disposedwood joist 1.

For the erection of a polygonal stadium shores of the same height andthe wood joists resting thereon form a polygon and preferably areconnected at adjacent ends.

Each stadium step form It) is preferably of sheet metal especiallysteel, and includes a vertical front riser, the lower marginal edgeportion of which is affixed by fasteners [2 to the rear 2 side of ajoist, a horizontal or tread section extending rearwardly from the riserand a flange depending from the tread part and aflixed by fasteners tothe front side of the next higher joist at the upper margin thereof.

The fasteners, if nails, can be pulled and the steel forms removed. Thewooden joists stay in place to support the concrete until the same hasacquired enough resistance to be self supporting. The top edge of thewood joist acts as a form by helping to form the underside of the tread.This combination of the wooden joist and metal forms affords a greateconomy in both labor and material.

Each end steel form of an assembly for casting a straight line orbowl-type stadium may carry a cover l5 consisting preferably of twosections slidable over one another and provided on three sides withflanges insertible into the outer end of the form section. When thecover sections are in a predetermined position the flanges engage theinner side of marginal portions of the steel form and may be secured byfasteners (not shown) inserted through holes I! in the flanges andmarginal portions of the form. Since the flange of one cover section isslidable on top of the flange of the other section, sliding of theformer section will loosen the other section from the concrete.

Owing to the uniform length of the stadium step form parts adjacent endsof a pair of forms are. angularly spaced when the latter are arrangedfor casting a polygonal stadium. A bridging member 20 has in common withthe stadium step form the general shape, but differs therefrom in thatthe riser is narrower than the rear flange, and the tread part tapersfrom the latter toward the former. The tread bridge part has a hole 22preferably of triangular shape receiving a wedge 23 of correspondingcross section which diminishes downwardly.

By providing a plurality of wedges all insertible in the hole 22, butdiffering in the width of the portion above the bridge and lengthwise ofthe tunnel forms, it is possible to space adjacent form ends bydifferent angles. The wedge engaging and angularly spacing the form endsis held thereby in a position in which the wedge may be free from theedges of hole 22 or engage same.

A single wedge of lengthwise taper would hold adjacent form ends spacedby diiferent angles depending on the length of the wedge portion belowthe form or bridge.

The horizontal bridge part of the modification 3 of Fig. 3 has severalholes of a size increasing toward the rear flange. A wedge of the typedescribed would be held in these holes at diiferent cross sections.

The wedge may also form an integral part of the bridge member. The twolateral margins of the bridge member have holes I! each registering witha hole in the marginal end portions of the forms. A fastener passesthrough each pair of registering holes and some of the fasteners connectthe bridge riser to the joists.

The front side of the stadium treads is formed by riser strips 25,preferably of plywood.

While I have described and illustrated the preferred embodiment of mynovel form assembly, it is to be understood that the same is a mereexample, not a limitation of my invention, and that changes andmodifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit ofthe invention or scope of the appended claims.

What I desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a form assembly for casting bowl-type stadiums and the like thecombination comprising supporting means of stepped height and angularlyarranged, a plurality of stadium step forms each including a riser, atread part connected to the riser, a rear flange connected to the treadpart and of a width narrower than that of the riser and having adjacentends in angularly spaced arrangement supported by the supporting meansin stepped formation and each having a tread-portion flush with thesupporting means in the rear of the stadium step form, a plurality ofbridge members of stadium step shape and supported by the supportingmeans and bridging the angular space between the ends of adjacentstadium step forms, and means each cooperating with a bridge member andspacing adjacent stadium step forms.

2. The combination according to claim 1 and wherein the supporting meanscomprise shores of stepped height and joists each secured on the top ofa shore and having its front side afiixed to the rear flange of astadium step form and its rear side to the riser of the stadium stepform.

3. The combination according to claim 2 and wherein the bridge member isaffixed to two joists and the adjacent stadium step forms.

4. The combination according to claim 2 and wherein the tread part ofthe bridge member has at least a hole and the last mentioned means arewedges each insertible in a bridge hole and engaging adjacent stadiumstep forms to space same in angular relation.

5. The combination according to claim 2 and wherein each of the lastmentioned means is integral with a bridge member.

6. In a form assembly for casting bowl-type stadiums and the like thecombination comprising a plurality of shores of stepped height, a joiston each short, a plurality of stadium step forms including a riseraffixed to the rear side of a joist, a tread part connected to the riserand a rear flange connected to the tread part and of a width narrowerthan that of a user and affixed to the front side of another higherjoist having its upper end flush with the tread part, a plurality ofbridge members each underlying and ailixed to adjacent ends of a pair ofstadium step forms and having at least one hole, and wedge means eachinsertible in a hole and engaging adjacent stadium step forms to spacesame in angular relation.

7. The combination according to claim 6 and wherein the bridge memberhas a plurality of holes of sizes increasing toward the rear flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 749,735 Jackson Jan. 19, 1904 1,445,374 Wells Feb. 13, 19231,526,401 Wanner et a1. Feb. 17, 1925 1,534,215 Hopkins Apr. 21, 19251,900,301 Read Mar. '7, 1933 2,180,964 Rogow Nov. 21, 1939 2,389,397Zimmerman Nov. 20, 1945

